


Prologue

by carolee_sea



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Hunter x Hunter - Freeform, M/M, idek, kind of like an AU, my version of what would have happened if they met before, young Kurapika, young Kuroro/Chrollo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-06-10 14:51:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6961513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolee_sea/pseuds/carolee_sea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A story where Kurapika and Chrollo were childhood friends. Goes up to the part where Kurapika's clan is murdered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so first fanfic on ao3... Basically all you need to know is that Chrollo was a messenger that gave the news to the Kurta clan. I'm actually not quite sure what the age difference is (because no one can decipher Chrollo's handwriting) but I put it as 8 years. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this crappy attempt at writing fanfiction! :)

It was dawn, and the sunrise was a smudge of bruised orange across the still-dark sky. It was relatively quiet, crickets chriping and grass rustling. A young dark-haired boy panted as his footfalls landed softly on the prairie grass. He wasn’t running away from anything for once and so he laughed out loud and jumped high into the air, feeling the exhilarating wind whistle past his ears as he sprinted onward. Across his ragged clothes slung a small leather bag with papers inside. 

“Hey! I’m back!” the kid slowed to a stop, waving happily at some people with a bright smile. He had arrived at a little village in the Lukso Province. 

Several heads turned, and their elderly faces softened when they saw the boy. 

“Good morning, Chrollo. It must have been a long, tiring journey as usual. Come in for some breakfast,” one of the old ladies beckoned to the child. 

“Not at all! It was really fun!” Chrollo grinned, following the elders into a hut. 

After breakfast and laughing with the seniors and distributing the newpapers in his bag, Chrollo stepped outside again. 

“Good morning, miss!” the energetic boy waved at a young lady outside. He ran up to her and gaped at the bundle in her arms. 

“What’s that?” 

“It’s my newborn child,” the lady replied, looking down at the bundle affectionately. 

“Can I see it?” 

The mother bent down, and the baby’s pale face was revealed in the bright sunlight. It squealed and blinked its large blue eyes. 

“It’s a boy,” the lady said. 

Chrollo oohed and aahed, observing the newborn intently. “I hope I can become friends with him someday then!” he finally exclaimed. “What’s his name?”

“Kurapika,” the proud mother answered. 

“Can I hold him?”


	2. Worlds

“Someday I’m going to travel the world! Go visit all the continents and countries and cities!” Chrollo proclaimed, grinning at the wide-eyed blonde boy in front of him.

“Can I come with you?” the smaller boy asked Chrollo shyly.

“Perhaps when you’re older. You’re only four,” Chrollo smiled, then reached down to ruffle the boy’s hair.

Kurapika squeaked and tried to duck away from Chrollo, almost toppling over. They both broke into giggles and laughter.

“Okay. Let’s continue the story!” Chrollo took charge, and he started reading from a giant book of fairy tales, magical words spilling from his lips as fantastic worlds and creatures filled their minds. Kurapika scooted closer to the older boy and leaned over to gaze at the pages in awe.

They stayed a long while in their enchanted paradise until they were weary. A hazy mist filled the forests, their magic world grew eerie and silent. Kurapika’s eyelids fluttered to stay open, but his head drooped onto Chrollo’s shoulder, mouth curved gently in a sweet smile. Chrollo closed the book and quietly put it aside. He stayed there for several minutes, studying the delicate features of the young Kurta. After a long time, he let out a yawn and moved slowly as to not disturb the sleeping boy. Chrollo picked up Kurapika easily into his arms and carried him home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super super short chapter but I swear they get longer.


	3. Jump

“I’m here! I’ll catch you when you fall! Trust me!” Chrollo called out to Kurapika, who was perched on the branch of a tree. He stretched his arms out wide.

Kurapika clutched the trunk, looking down doubtfully at the older boy. “Will you really?”

“I promise! It’s a lot of fun!” came the answer.

Kurapika wobbled along the branch and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and jumped off.

“Ahhhhhhhhh,” he screamed.

Chrollo was looking up with a confident smile, arms still out as the younger boy fell. He swiftly caught the Kurta.

“Got you!” he cheered and set Kurapika down. “Man, you’re heavier than you look.”

Kurapika’s cheeks were dusted with a pretty blush. His eyes were bright with excitement.

“So, was that fun?” Chrollo interrogated, clapping Kurapika on the back.

“Yeah! Can we do it again?” Kurapika replied.

“Sure! Maybe in a year you can jump off without me catching you,” Chrollo agreed and they clambered onto the tree again.

“I’ll go first,” Chrollo said, then hopped off, whizzing by the branches, letting loose a laugh.

Kurapika peeked down at the dark-haired boy from his spot, longing for the same freedom. _If I can climb up this high, I can jump down too_ , he thought.

Before Chrollo could recover from the jump and straighten up again, Kurapika had jumped off and was crashing through the air. Chrollo glanced up in surprise just as Kurapika landed gracefully before him, almost floating down.

“You sure learn fast,” Chrollo grinned at the beaming Kurapika. He reached over to ruffle Kurapika’s hair.

“Let’s do it again!”


	4. Adventure

“How old are you Chrollo?” Kurapika asked the older boy suddenly. They were traversing through the woods near the village. 

“Hmmm?” Chrollo looked at the blonde in surprise. “Um, you’re 4 aren’t you? I’m 12, I think. We never celebrated my birthday back in Meteor City.”

“We can celebrate it here!” Kurapika suggested.

Chrollo flushed slightly and was at loss for words.

“Ooh, can you take me to Meteor City someday?” Kurapika suddenly piped up.

“Huh? Isn’t there that rule that you can’t leave the village unless you take some kinda test?” Chrollo accused.

“Well... I guess when I’m older then,” Kurapika answered disappointedly.

They walked on in silence, until up ahead they saw the dark forms of several birds scattering into the sky. There was an ominous feel in the air.

“Kurapika,” there was an urgent tone in Chrollo’s voice. “We should leave now-”

Suddenly both kids were blasted back by some unseen force. The smaller blonde tumbled into the bushes and Chrollo was moved back a few feet.

“Kurapika!” Chrollo immediately ran over to help the blonde and was just bringing him back on his feet when there was a loud roar very close to the source of the explosion.

Towering above them was some giant type of panther with dark, thick armor covering its body. It growled at the two children, narrowing its yellow eyes.

Kurapika ducked behind Chrollo in fright, and Chrollo protectively stood in front of the younger boy. Chrollo was inwardly panicking, unsure whether or not to make Kurapika run away or fight the panther. There was no way out of their situation. The panther was basically undefeatable, and if they ran, it would quickly catch up. Chrollo cursed under his breath. He could feel Kurapika trembling behind him.

Chrollo took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, thinking hard. When he opened his grey eyes, they were clear. “Okay,” he turned confidently to the terrified Kurta. “You can climb a tree quickly enough, right? On my word, run for that tall tree over there and climb it quickly. Don’t worry about me. Just go.”

“I can’t leave you!” Kurapika whispered desperately.

“I’ll be right behind you. Quick, now!” Chrollo pushed the blonde forwards as he glanced back and saw the panther ready to pounce.

Kurapika dashed away towards the tree, with Chrollo following close behind him. He scrambled up the tree clumsily but quickly, and Chrollo nimbly went up after him. They reached the upper branches safely and peered down at the frustrated panther, who was clawing at the tree.

“Catch your breath and in a while we’ll jump to another tree. We’ve done it before, it’s no different this time. Luckily the foliage here is pretty thick, so it’ll be hard for the panther to track us,” Chrollo instructed Kurapika.

Kurapika nodded, and in a few moments, they were hopping among the treetops branch to branch towards safety.

In a few minutes they caught sight of the Kurta village and sprinted there with adrenaline still rushing through their blood. They finally stopped, panting heavily.

“That was scary,” Kurapika finally commented . 

Chrollo agreed and there was another silence as they caught their breaths. Suddenly, Chrollo straightened up and jabbed a finger to his chest.

“From now on, I’ll protect you, Pika!” he exclaimed. “I’ll be your big brother,” Chrollo smiled at the blonde.

Kurapika gaped at him for a few seconds, then flew into Chrollo’s arms. Chrollo squeezed the blonde tightly to his body. He thought it couldn’t have been a more beautiful day as he looked up into the bright blue sky.


	5. Eyes

Chrollo was 13, and Kurapika was 5. Another year had passed, but so much had changed.

Kurapika saw Chrollo less. It wasn’t much less, but Chrollo would disappear for weeks and even a month.

But every time he came back, he would be smiling with his usual bag of newspapers and various treats for Kurapika.

“I missed you Chrollo! Where were you for so long?” Kurapika leapt at the older boy, who laughed and held the blonde closer.

“I went to a few new cities this time,” Chrollo answered, and then seeing Kurapika’s jealous pout, continued. “I brought back a whole bunch of things from those places and a few books as well. They’re kinda thin because I can’t carry that much-” he stopped when Kurapika let out an ecstatic little cheer.

“Well then, let’s get started on the books,” Chrollo said, ruffling the Kurta’s hair as they walked on.

 

They took their time with the books, savoring every page. At last they were finished, and Chrollo went on to talk about his newest adventures, with Kurapika earnestly hanging on his every word.

“And here. Don’t show this to your parents or anyone ever,” Chrollo rummaged through his pockets, as Kurapika’s interest spiked. “It’s a special gift for you, and our little secret,” he whispered, and Kurapika giggled.

He took out a small knife sheathed in leather.

“I’m sure you’ll be careful with it,” Chrollo said, handing the knife over to the Kurta.

Kurapika carefully took the knife out of the scabbard, studying it intensely. It was silver and decently sharp with intricate swirly designs over it. As Kurapika turned it around, it gleamed prettily in the sun.

“I thought it suited you,” Chrollo commented, quietly waiting for the blonde’s judgement.

“Thank you!” Kurapika beamed. “I love it!” he smiled, and Chrollo couldn’t help but grin along too.

 

After all that they frolicked among the stream that ran through the forest.

“Let’s go catch some fish upstream!” Chrollo suggested, getting into the water fearlessly.

“O-okay, wait for me!” Kurapika took off his shoes, rolled his pants up, and then stepped tentatively into the crystal clear water.

“Ahhh, cold!” he gasped and Chrollo laughed at him.

“Get used to it!” Chrollo kicked at the water, effectively splashing the Kurta with it.

“Chrollo!” Kurapika shouted indignantly , and Chrollo laughed again at the adorable pouty look on the blonde’s pretty face.

He splashed Kurapika again. “Come and get me!” he teased, running upstream.

Kurapika angrily stalked towards Chrollo, but he was laughing as well. He took off after the dark-haired boy, who was nimbly hopping around on the rocks. Kurapika was not as skilled in the art of stone-stepping, so he just paved a single straight path of destruction Chrollo’s way.

They battled in the water, slipping and falling into the stream and stumbling around and laughing in the sunlight. It was the most fun Chrollo had had in ages. Suddenly something caught his eye and he paused for a moment. Kurapika was still having fun in the water.

“What is it?” Kurapika turned to Chrollo with a bright smile on his face. His eyes glinted happily.

“Your eyes. They’re.. red,” Chrollo commented.

Kurapika’s smile vanished.

“Yeah... it’s a Kurta thing… Our eyes turn scarlet when we feel a strong emotion,” the blonde softly replied, looking away. The intense color in his eyes was fading slightly.

“I think they’re beautiful,” Chrollo whispered in a hushed voice.

“Really?”

Chrollo nodded, still staring at the scarlet eyes, which were in full intensity again. He studied them, losing himself in the swirling colors. Countless shades of red gleamed in the boy’s eyes. It was the most beautiful thing Chrollo had seen.

Chrollo blinked, shaking himself from his trance. He smirked and proceeded to splash water into Kurapika’s face. Kurapika gasped in surprise and then fell over trying to go after Chrollo.

They resumed their play and ended up not catching any fish at all.

“I’m soaked!” Kurapika complained, dragging himself out of the water.

“Same here,” Chrollo groaned. “Who would’ve thought you could be such a devil?” he teased, reaching over to ruffle Kurapika’s hair again, which didn’t quite work this time because the blonde’s hair was damp.

Chrollo cut off Kurapika’s protestations, grinning. “Let’s just wait and rest here for a bit while we dry.”

They calmed down, laying on the grass by the stream on their backs, watching the puffy white clouds move across the sky slowly.  
What was drifting through Chrollo’s mind though, were not the clouds but the lovely red eyes of the Kurta.


	6. Trigger

Chrollo was gone again for a long time. A few years had passed, but Chrollo and Kurapika did not grow that far apart.

 

“Today I’m going to show you one of my favorite stories!” Chrollo told the blonde, waving a large book around.

Kurapika was immediately interested, and scooted closer to the dark-haired boy. “What is it about?” he asked. 

“Well... it’s a fairytale about a hero who captures criminals and thieves,” Chrollo explained.

“Haven’t we read a lot of those before?”

“This one’s my personal favorite because the hero uses chains! There’s this awesome quote which the hero says something like, ‘There’s an evil running loose that needs to be chained down to hell.” Isn’t it that cool?” Chrollo further elaborated. 

“Wow...” Kurapika looked at Chrollo in amazement. 

“Let’s start the story now!” Chrollo flipped deftly to a certain page well in the middle of the book. He started reading aloud.

 

It had been a while, and Chrollo was getting restless. He had a real motive behind this meeting with the Kurta kid. 

“Hey.. Pika... Can I see your eyes?” Chrollo asked the Kurta cautiously.

“They’re right here,” Kurapika answered, confused, turning to Chrollo. He blinked his clear blue eyes.

“I meant your scarlet eyes. They were so pretty,” Chrollo said.

“Oh, um.. I can’t... They need to be triggered...” Kurapika awkwardly answered, blushing a bit.

“A trigger, huh?” Chrollo murmured thoughtfully.

“Whatever. Let’s just continue reading.” Chrollo broke the silence and Kurapika scooted closer to the older boy as they continued their story.

 

After a few more chapters, Chrollo looked up suddenly.

“Chrollo..?”

The dark-haired teen quickly took Kurapika’s upturned face into his hands and leaned close to him. He pressed his lips onto the blonde’s, and after a pause, deepened the kiss. Kurapika was paralyzed with surprise. He could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest. Chrollo let go finally.

Kurapika’s eyes were wide, with a deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression on his face. His eyes glowed red, and Chrollo let out a little sigh at the beautiful sight.

“W-w-what was that?” the blonde squeaked, still startled. His blush was almost as intense as his eyes.

“A trigger,” Chrollo replied smartly, still gazing deep into the Kurta’s eyes. He was still watching even as the color faded. Kurapika was still flustered and blushing. Chrollo smiled and ruffled the blonde’s hair.

“You stole my first kiss!” Kurapika gasped in realization, glaring at Chrollo. Chrollo was grinning as he avoided the angry Kurta’s punch.

“If I were you, that wouldn’t really be the first thing I would care about,” Chrollo mused.

“Huh? Is there something wrong about us kissing?” Kurapika asked.

“Oh, there’s nothing wrong about it,” Chrollo answered, smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... my friend was mad at me for that part at the end about the "nothing is wrong with it" because she thinks that everything is wrong with kurokura... so I guess I'm just writing to make everything about it right :)


	7. Earring

“Chrollo! I haven’t seen you in forever! I had to take care of Pairo while you were gone! How long has it been, a year?!” Kurapika waved his arms around energetically as he pranced around Chrollo, who had come back to the village again.

The thin teen had now grown into a handsome, lean, dark-haired 17 year old. He carried himself with an easy-going confidence. He wore a sly smile adorned with deep, dark eyes that glittered intelligently.

Chrollo laughed. “I missed you too, Pika,” he smirked, looking the blonde boy up and down. Kurapika had grown too. He was still only 9, but he was pretty tall for his age. He had a delicate frame; it wasn’t sickly skinny, more like an elegant strength.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring any presents for you this time, but I still have a bunch of stories for you, okay?” he told the younger boy gently, taking Kurapika’s face into his hands.

“Okay,” Kurapika whispered, looking up at Chrollo with large doe eyes. The innocent look on his face gave Chrollo a shock through his stomach and he felt a dull flame burning throughout his body. The strange feeling went away after a while, and Chrollo tried to forget about it.

 

They walked through the forest near the village, just like old times. Chrollo breathed in the fresh forest air. It was so much different from Meteor City, full of dust and unpleasant odors. He suddenly wished he could stay here forever with his Kurapika, but he had too many, too many responsibilities. He had seen too much of the real world to dream of naive, happy endings. Chrollo glanced at the elated boy bouncing next to him and hoped that he would never ever see the horrors of the world. The older male closed his eyes and felt the refreshing breeze through his hair. _I’ll just stay here for just a while longer and enjoy every moment while it lasts_ , he thought.

“Chrollo,” Kurapika’s voice made him open his eyes again.

“Hmmm?”

“Why do you have earrings? I thought only girls wore them,” Kurapika pointed out the earrings dangling from Chrollo’s earlobes.

Chrollo chuckled. “Aw, you’re as cute as ever. Sometimes guys wear them too. It’s a fashion in some parts,” he explained, fiddling with the jewelry. The ruby earrings dangled from a small chain, swinging back and forth in the light. 

“The color reminded me of you,” Chrollo continued. “Of course, I couldn’t find a gem that could match the color of your eyes. Nothing could be as beautiful as them.”

Kurapika blushed a bit. “Ah, well, your eyes are pretty too,” he muttered, embarrassed.

“Really? I don’t really think so. Everyone has black eyes,” Chrollo looked at Kurapika, interested.

“Well... they aren’t black. It seems like there’s a bunch of colors in them. Sometimes I think they change colors too. They look violet, and then hazel, and then dark green...” Kurapika frowned, staring intensely into Chrollo’s eyes.

Chrollo’s smile was unwavering even as he leaned in to kiss Kurapika on the lips.

“Uwah, what was that for?! Please stop doing that!” Kurapika covered his face with his arms, but Chrollo could see the tips of his ears reddening.

“Maybe when I grow up I can get earrings like yours,” Kurapika suddenly changed the subject, curiously looking at the earrings.

“Why do you have to copy everything I do?” Chrollo groaned jokingly. “What if I do something bad? You shouldn’t just do everything I do,” Chrollo lectured the boy.

“My mom told me to watch and learn from people I admire,” Kurapika replied.

“Sometimes those people do wrong things. Humans are flawed and make mistakes.” Chrollo looked into the distance.

“But if I go my own way, doesn’t that mean I’ll make mistakes too? I’d rather follow you.” Kurapika earnestly tugged at Chrollo’s sleeve.  
Chrollo sighed, smiling softly. It wasn’t a mischievous smirk like usual, just a chaste smile of amusement. “Do what you want. Just set your mind to it and never give up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't the earrings sound kind of familiar? It's one of my head canons yeay  
> PS Complaints from my friend again about Chrollo getting turned on (he's a hormonal teen and who can resist pika anyways)


	8. Amnesia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha... I didn't feel like updating yesterday but here it is today! I always enjoy updating late at night. :)

“Oh! And I still have to tell you about something cool I learned about!” Chrollo suddenly exclaimed.

Kurapika and Chrollo were still in the woods, now discussing Chrollo’s many new adventures. They were clambering around on the mountain in the area. It was relatively steep, full of loose rocks and niches.

“Well, first I’ll tell you about some new friends I made. Usually I’m not in Meteor City and elsewhere, so I never met some of the people there. But somehow I found some people around my age,” Chrollo said.

Kurapika was silent for a while, and when Chrollo looked at him for a verbal response of some kind, he saw that the young boy was pouting. It was adorable and Chrollo had to contain his laughter.

“Aww, don’t worry, Pika. You’re my little brother and no one can replace you. My little darling. My sweet honey. My-”

“That’s enough!” Kurapika tried to shove Chrollo’s arm off, but he was laughing at Chrollo’s cheesiness.

“So, my friends. Their names are Feitan, Machi, Nobunaga, Pakunoda, Franklin, and Uvogin. They’re all pretty cool and you would get along well with them. I think you would like Uvogin the most though. He’s a really strong guy, sometimes a bit brash, but he’s fun to be around...” Chrollo went on about his friends as Kurapika listened, enraptured.

They were still hopping around on the tall jagged rocks at the peak of the mountain.

Chrollo had finished talking about his friends. “And now, about the cool thing I was talking about earlier... It’s called Nen, and it’s- Woah!-”

Kurapika lost his footing on a particularly unstable rock. The rock wobbled and dropped down into the canyon below. “Ahh-”

The Kurta froze as he slipped and started to fall. His hands desperately flailed around in the air in front of him, trying to reach something to hold onto. “Chrollo!”

“Shit! Kurapika!” Chrollo’s hand was outstretched towards the boy. He tried to grab hold of the blonde’s arm but missed. In those few seconds, he could only stare in a daze as Kurapika fell towards the ground.

 

It all happened so fast Chrollo couldn’t think.

When he was finally struck with the realization of what just occurred, it was too late. He tried to descend the cliff as fast as he could, not caring about how reckless it was. The image of Kurapika sprawled on the ground was burned into his mind as he jumped quickly from rock to rock.

Chrollo finally got down to the blonde and immediately was by his side. Chrollo held his breath as he quickly checked the boy over. There wasn’t any major problem actually, just a broken arm, maybe some bruises or something sprained. The Kurta was bleeding pretty badly from a head wound though. Chrollo swiftly scooped the boy up in his arms and ran towards the village as if his life depended on it.

 

“I’m so sorry for what happened. I’ll take full responsibility for it,” Chrollo apologized profusely to Kurapika’s parents and the clan elders.

Although the villagers were warriors, they were also peace-loving folks. They did feel indebted to Chrollo in a way because he was the main source of all their info from the outside world. They tried to reassure the teen that Kurapika only had some minor injuries and he was still alive and well.

“I’m sorry for the trouble, but I’d appreciate it if you’d let me stay until he wakes up. Please,” Chrollo asked.

“Of course. It’s fine, really,” Kurapika’s parents said.

Chrollo waited by the boy’s bedside with increasing worry. The kid’s heartbeat was stable and everything was healing nicely, but somehow he hadn’t woken up yet. It had been several days already. 

The older male could barely concentrate on the books he was reading. Constantly he would look over at the blonde for any sign of movement. Sometimes he even thought he saw the kid twitch. Chrollo went many nights without sleep worrying for Kurapika. Kurapika certainly wasn’t looking better. His face was ghostly pale, without the usual faint color in his cheeks. Chrollo felt as bad as the Kurta looked.

 

At last, Kurapika opened his eyes.

The blonde looked around blurrily, still disoriented from his concussion. Chrollo patiently waited for the boy to adjust. After a few seconds, Chrollo spoke up.

“You broke your arm and sprained your hip from the fall. You also got a concussion, but you seem fine and you’re healing fast,” Chrollo informed the blonde quietly.

 

Kurapika looked at Chrollo with his clear blue eyes.

 

“Who are you?”

 

It was like the entire world had ended. Just by those softly-spoken, curious, three words. Cities were crumbling and walls crashing down. Dust filled the air.

Chrollo’s eyes went wide. He stared at the boy numbly for a while, his mind whirling in confusion. _Was Kurapika playing a joke or does he really not remember me?_

“Kurapika. You... don’t.. remember me?” Chrollo asked for affirmation.

“I..I don’t think I’ve ever met you...” Kurapika told the dark-haired male, frowning slightly.

Chrollo could see the truth in those eyes. He stood up shakily. “Excuse me,” he said shortly.

Then he ran.

 

It was almost completely silent around him, except for the river and the wind rushing through the grass.

Among the tall grass at the base of the river was a broken person. He wasn’t broken in the way the boy he had just talked to was, but it was like his soul was shattered with large jagged cracks running through it. It was still intact, but horribly broken.

Chrollo never thought that the little boy he had come to love would have such a big impact on him. _Why am I even crying?_ he thought, letting his tears fall into the river.

He thought back to what had happened after he left the room.

Chrollo had bumped into the elders, quickly explaining in a strained voice that he was sorry he couldn’t come again, probably never again, and he was so, so sorry, and most importantly never to tell Kurapika about him. Then he hurriedly left the village, not once looking back as he fled.

Chrollo stood up with a shaky sigh. _It’s all over. It’s okay. I don’t think our little relationship would have ever lasted anyway_ , he tried to comfort himself. His broken spirit was already repairing itself. Hiding the cracks so cleverly it was impossible to see them. Then he let out a dark chuckle. _I can’t let my friends see me like this. I need to be strong._

Then with a smile as confident as ever, he stepped out of the ruins as a new person. Cold, intelligent, and fearless.


	9. The Troupe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for yesterday's chapter if it was too surprising! Haha I actually thought this fic would be pretty predictable. Here's a short chapter of the aftermath. There's so much deja vu in this, see if you can spot it! (don't worry there's still one more after this)

There was a silence in the dusty room. A foot tapping softly in a corner. A few quiet, panting breaths. The turning of a page.

“Feitan, Machi, Nobunaga, Pakunoda, Franklin, and Uvogin. Are you all here?” a soft, masculine voice sounded from the shadows.

The owner of the voice emerged into the dim light. It was a handsome young man with dark hair and deep, almost sorrowful eyes.

There were a few murmurs and grunts of reply, and the rest of the group stepped out into the light.

They looked like a strange group. A short male, two females, a skinny man with a sword, and two muscular giants.

“So, Danchou? What are we going to do this time?” one of the group asked.

“Always so eager, Uvo. This time I’m planning to...”

The gang held their breath in anticipation.

“Raid the Kurta village in the Lukso Province.” Chrollo finished with a charismatic smile.

 

“Like, steal from them?”

“Do they have anything of value?”

“Isn’t the Lukso Province a rural area?”

The questions arose and Chrollo waited patiently for his friends to quiet down.

“The Kurta clan. A group of a hundred or so peace-loving people who live in a secluded area closed off from the rest of the world. All members of the clan have these eyes called Scarlet Eyes that glow red when triggered by a strong emotion. The color is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world,” Chrollo explained calmly.

“Of course, this time won’t be so much of a raid. More like a massacre.”

 

_In the Lukso Province at the same time_

 

Kurapika smiled softly as he reread his book by his windowside. There was perfect weather today, with lovely golden sunshine and a nice cool breeze. The blonde closed his eyes in content and then looked up as he heard footsteps.

“Pairo! Want to come read with me?” he asked a small brunette boy coming his way.

“Okay,” the boy affirmed, and he plopped down next to Kurapika on the comfy cushions.

“What book is it?” Pairo asked the other.

Kurapika beamed at the brunette and showed him the cover.

“You’ve read that book 12 times already,” Pairo reminded Kurapika, looking annoyed but also slightly amused.

“Well, it is a nice book. Also I can’t wait to go see the outside world next week! Next week! It feels I have to wait so long! I have to prepare for it. How better to prepare than reading a book about the wonders of the world?”

“I think you would be more prepared if you packed your stuff instead,” Pairo suggested.

“Let’s start at this chapter,” Kurapika changed the subject, flipping deftly to a certain page well in the middle of the book. He started reading aloud.

The birds were chirping outside merrily, and it seemed like a perfect, cozy world. The two young boys read their happy stories, oblivious of the danger that would come.


	10. Massacre

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for staying with me through this short story! Last chapter yayyyyy :)

Chrollo gazed out at the scene below him.

There was red everywhere. Rivers of blood on the ground. Smoke drifted into the air. Hellish flames burned.

When the troupe had arrived in the morning, it was a lush, green world, a beautiful paradise. The floral had pretty spiral patterns and there were unique creatures lurking around the bushes. Chrollo felt nostalgic as he breathed in the sweet, clean air. Everything had somehow seemed brighter than ever. The face of a certain blonde boy was in his mind. He half-hoped that he would meet the boy again and kill him so Chrollo would never have to think of him again. The other half of him yearned to greet the Kurta and read and talk and have fun together like old times.

_I can’t let myself be distracted by my thoughts, he thought to himself, and locked the memories away. Tonight will only be a night of murder and nothing else._

Chrollo let out a sigh of content at the bloody killing. It was relaxing in a way, watching scenes of crime. The chaos and disorder seemed so aesthetic.

The Kurta people were decent fighters. They were strong and courageous. Chrollo had never seen them fight, but they were vicious when it was necessary. Chrollo watched in amusement as a few charged at Nobunaga and all got cut up. Although being exceptional fighters, they were still no match for the Spiders.

Chrollo closed his eyes, trying to burn the image of the massacre into his mind. Distressed villagers ran around with their scarlet eyes glowing brightly. There was constant screaming and sounds of weapons clashing.

Chrollo stepped down from his perch to join the fray.

 

A 12-year old boy was racing home under the moonlight.

He couldn’t wait to get home and tell Pairo of the adventures he had in the outside world. Unfortunately, he couldn’t bring anything home for his friend. The boy frowned slightly; the whole thing felt kind of familiar.

“Onward!” he shouted happily, digging his heels into the large bird he was riding. He laughed out loud, smiling up into the silvery blue moon.

 

Kurapika paused curiously at the edge of the forest, getting off his ride. There was dark smoke billowing out from the direction of his village. _What was happening?_

The young boy ran quickly towards his home.

 

Flames were reflected back in his horrified eyes as he looked down at the scene below him. He was standing in the exact same spot Chrollo had been moments ago.

Kurapika stood shocked, unable to act. In the corner of his eye he could see a fellow villager get impaled. Dark blood poured out onto the ground. He could hear screams for help. _What was happening?!_

The small blonde boy watched the murder, transfixed. It was like a horror movie you couldn’t tear your eyes away from. His eyes glowed in that familiar scarlet color. Then he saw it in the distance.

A dark-haired man wearing a fur coat standing in the ruins.

As if the man had sensed being watched, he turned his head to look at Kurapika.

Kurapika could see the man’s lips move, as if he were saying something. Kurapika stared at the man, unmoving. Somehow, Kurapika knew he was the one responsible for everything that was happening. He also felt like he knew the man from a previous life or something. It all seemed very familiar. Memories of sunshine, water splashing, and laughing stirred in his mind but he couldn’t place it.

_What was happening?_

 

Chrollo was done with his part. Almost every single member of the clan had been killed. Except for maybe one.

The Spider could feel someone’s gaze on him. Instinctively, he turned, and in full view he saw a young blonde boy standing there, eyes burning scarlet.

“Kurapika,” Chrollo whispered softly.

Chrollo studied the Kurta’s features. He didn’t look that much different from before. He still had the air of having a happy, peaceful life. There was that soft golden hair blowing around in the breeze and that delicate-looking but sturdy frame. The only thing different were his eyes, which glowed brighter than ever before. Chrollo could say they were the most beautiful he had seen the entire night. The blonde’s fair skin and hair accented the vivid scarlet color perfectly.

Kurapika’s eyes were open wide in shock. He had been standing there still for a few minutes already. Chrollo felt a twinge of regret at the thought that the boy’s happy world would be destroyed so quickly. It would have a inevitable psychological impact on the little Kurta.

 

Kurapika stared at the dark-haired man. The flames burning all around them cast a hellish glow onto the man’s ivory skin. There was something familiar in those deep, mysterious eyes. A strange feeling crept up Kurapika’s back as the man gazed back at Kurapika with an indecipherable look on his face. It finally prompted the Kurta to move.

The wind was blowing stronger now. The flames rose higher. Dried up leaves flew around. Kurapika blinked his eyes and if it were even possible, the color of his eyes intensified even more. They glowed brighter than the fire that was burning his village down. The last Kurta could feel a surge of energy in his body.

Yet at the same time, he felt drained of his energy. His vision blurred suddenly. _Huh? Why can’t I see anything?_ Kurapika thought in bewildered confusion. All he could see was red and fire and a black, black darkness. He rubbed at his eyes and looked down surprised as he saw tears splatter the ground. Am I crying? 

 

Chrollo saw Kurapika rubbing his eyes, and Chrollo looked on, intrigued. Did it hurt to turn his Eyes on for too long? The boy was avoiding eye contact with Chrollo, and suddenly Chrollo noticed a glimmer of teardrops on his cheek. Chrollo froze with a slight frown on his face. He had expected rage from the Kurta but not crying. He stared as Kurapika’s tears started rolling down his face faster and faster and he heard a wail from the boy. It was a mournful, childish cry that was almost lost in the roar of the fire. Then the little Kurta broke down completely and sank to the ground, sobbing. Kurapika didn’t bother to hold back his emotions as he grieved for his family. This time it was Chrollo who was frozen and unable to move. He had never seen such a phenomenon. Suddenly Kurapika jerked his head up to look at Chrollo, and it was a look that Chrollo would never forget. Kurapika’s eyes were wide open and glowing scarlet at full intensity. Flecks of gold and pink were magnified by his tears. There was a helplessness and pleading look on the blonde’s face. He looked lost and frightened. 

Kurapika silently stared at Chrollo with the tears still falling. Chrollo couldn’t take it any longer and turned away before he could register what he was doing. There was a fleeting feeling of regret, but he forced himself to walk away. He could still feel the boy’s burning gaze on his back as he escaped into the moonlight. 

_Perhaps we’ll meet again in the future._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if this wasn't the ending you were looking for. I thought about doing a sequel to this where Kurapika regains his memories of his past with Chrollo, but I got lazy. Feel free to write it if you want to! 
> 
> Thanks for reading; hope you enjoyed this little twist!


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